Providing targeted and personalized education to prevent human errors

Abstract

An embodiment comprises a method associated with a computer system activity comprising one or more tasks, carried out by one or more users. The method comprises the step of furnishing a knowledge database with one or more knowledge teachings, wherein each knowledge teaching corresponds to one of the tasks. The method further comprises implementing a procedure at selected intervals, to determine whether any user in a group of users lacks specified knowledge related to one of the tasks. Responsive to determining that a particular user lacks specified knowledge related to a particular task, a knowledge teaching is presented to the particular user which corresponds to the particular task, and includes at least some of the specified knowledge which the particular user has been determined to lack. Feedback sent from the particular user, in response to receiving the presented knowledge teaching, is then selectively evaluated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method associated with a computer system activity comprising one or more tasks, wherein respective tasks are carried out by one or more users, and the method comprises the steps of:
 furnishing a knowledge database with one or more knowledge teachings, wherein each knowledge teaching corresponds to one of the tasks;   implementing a procedure at selected intervals, to determine whether any user in a group of users lacks specified knowledge which is related to one of the tasks;   responsive to determining that a particular user lacks specified knowledge related to a particular task, presenting a knowledge teaching to the particular user which corresponds to the particular task, and includes at least some of the specified knowledge which the particular user has been determined to lack; and   selectively evaluating feedback sent from the particular user, in response to receiving the presented knowledge teaching.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 one or more specified criteria are used to select one or more users for the group of users.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the specified criteria are selected from a group that includes at least one of the criterion that a user exceeded a specified number of errors of a particular type, the criterion that the user exceeded a specified number of unresolved service tickets, and the criterion that the user was found to be in noncompliance of a specified policy.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 responsive to determining that a user lacks specified knowledge, carrying out a mapping process that searches the knowledge database, to locate a knowledge teaching that includes at least some of the specified knowledge which the user lacks.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the knowledge teaching presented to the particular user has a form selected from a group of presentation forms, that includes at least a number of tips, a number of quotations of relevant information, and a number of questions to be answered by the particular user.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the knowledge teaching is presented in the form of no more than two questions to be answered by the particular user, and feedback sent from the particular user comprises answers to the questions, wherein the answers are each evaluated to determine whether they are correct.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the knowledge teaching is presented in the form of no more than two tips, or no more than two quotations, selectively, and feedback sent from the particular user provides an indication of how beneficial the particular user considered each tip or quotation to be.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a given knowledge teaching is presented to a given user of the group of users, at an interval which is no less than one week following the last presentation of a knowledge teaching to the given user.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a user profile is created for each user of the group of users.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 creating a profile for a given user includes assessing knowledge that the given user has in regard to a particular task, and selectively mining data sources of the user, wherein the data sources include one or more past service tickets of the given user that pertain to the particular task.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 feedback sent from the given user is used to selectively update the profile of the given user.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 providing a knowledge teaching that corresponds to a particular task comprises selectively processing data produced by one or more users who previously carried out the particular task successfully.   
     
     
         13 . A computer program product executable in a recordable storage medium, and associated with a computer system activity comprising one or more tasks, wherein respective tasks are carried out by one or more users, and the computer program product comprises:
 instructions for furnishing a knowledge database with one or more knowledge teachings, wherein each knowledge teaching corresponds to one of the tasks;   instructions for implementing a procedure at selected intervals, to determine whether any user in a group of users lacks specified knowledge which is related to one of the tasks;   instructions responsive to determining that a particular user lacks specified knowledge related to a particular task, for presenting a knowledge teaching to the particular user which corresponds to the particular task, and includes at least some of the specified knowledge which the particular user has been determined to lack; and   instructions for selectively evaluating feedback sent from the particular user, in response to receiving the presented knowledge teaching.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 instructions responsive to determining that a user lacks specified knowledge, for carrying out a mapping process that searches the knowledge database, to locate a knowledge teaching that includes at least some of the specified knowledge which the user lacks.   
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the knowledge teaching presented to the particular user has a form selected from a group of presentation forms, that includes at least a number of tips, a number of quotations of relevant information, and a number of questions to be answered by the particular user.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the knowledge teaching is presented in the form of no more than two questions to be answered by the particular user, and feedback sent from the particular user comprises answers to the questions, wherein the answers are each evaluated to determine whether they are correct.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the knowledge teaching is presented in the form of no more than two tips, or no more than two quotations, selectively, and feedback sent from the particular user provides an indication of how beneficial the particular user considered each tip or quotation to be.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein:
 a given knowledge teaching is presented to a given user of the group of users, at an interval which is no less than one week following the last presentation of a knowledge teaching to the given user.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein:
 a user profile is created for each user of the group of users.   
     
     
         20 . A computer system associated with a computer related activity comprising one or more tasks, wherein respective tasks are carried out by one or more users, and the computer system comprises:
 a bus;   a memory connected to the bus, wherein program code is stored on the memory; and   a processor unit connected to the bus, wherein the processor unit executes the program code:   to furnish a knowledge database with one or more knowledge teachings, wherein each knowledge teaching corresponds to one of the tasks;   to implement a procedure at selected intervals, to determine whether any user in a group of users lacks specified knowledge which is related to one or the tasks;   responsive to determining that a particular user lacks specified knowledge related to a particular task, to present a knowledge teaching to the particular user which corresponds to the particular task, and includes at least some of the specified knowledge which the particular user has been determined to lack; and   to selectively evaluate feedback sent from the particular user, in response to receiving the presented knowledge teaching.